Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span

Human longevity : The giants

Calico

Research company working on extending human longevity and life-span : Calico, for “California Life company” is a Research and Development biotech company founded by Google Inc. and A. Levinson. Its goal is to fight aging and age-related diseases.

Human Longevity, Inc.

This company focuses on the study of microbiome, genomics, bioinformatics and stem cell therapies to extend lifespan. It offers services including genomic analysis, personalized vaccines and cell therapies, and develops the Health Nucleus Program for personalized medicine

Second solution : stem cell therapy. A small number of Adult Stem Cells are removed from blood or fat. They are expanded in incubator and rejuvenated without changing stem cell state. They are then injected back into a particular body system to cure dysfunction or disease. Centagen has developed a platform to rejuvenate and expand adult stem cells extracted from a patient’s own fat, bone marrow or blood.

They develop therapies that are based on stem cell technology and are intended to rebuild cell and tissue function lost due to degenerative diseases and injury. These therapeutics target neurological disorders, cancer, age-related macular degeneration, orthopedic disorders and age-related cardiovascular disease. Their aim is to become leader in the development of pluripotent stem cell-based technologies for the treatment of degenerative diseases.

Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span

Products : They develop Consumer Health Products. Basis is a metabolic repair and optimization treatment that contains two compounds that support the production of NAD+ and the activation of sirtuins. It is already available on the market.

Publication : Mouchiroud et al., 2013

Lifegen technologies

They aim to discover the genetic basis of the aging process to increase human healthspan. LifeGen Technologies utilizes DNA microarrays to identify changes in gene expression that are associated with the aging process and how these changes are opposed by caloric restriction (CR). The same process is being used to screen for compounds that have the ability to mimic the transcriptional activity of CR.

Human longevity companies: personalized diagnosis and intervention

Biomarker Pharmaceuticals

Area : Its research is largely based on caloric restriction and DNA microarrays. Their approach is to develop proven intervention strategies based on understanding the molecular pathways that influence aging and the contribution of individual genetic variation.

Human longevity companies : personalized diagnosis and intervention

Interleukin Genetics

Interleukin Genetics is a molecular diagnostics company that develops and commercializes genetic tests for personalized medicine. For instance, the Bone Health Genetic Test

determines whether a patient is likely to develop osteoporosis, or chronic inflammation. Other genetic tests include the PerioPredict (it analyzes genetic variations associated with inflammation and identifies individuals with risk for periodontal disease), and tests providing patients with information about heart health, weight management, nutritional needs, etc. They are available on the market. The company has several clinical research collaborations with top research institutions worldwide.

Nu Skin Enterprises and Legendary Pharmaceuticals

Nu Skin is a direct selling company that distributes anti-aging products in the personal care and nutritional supplements categories. It is interesting in particular for its personalized approach to cosmetics. In 2011, Nu Skin acquired Legendary Pharmaceuticals, a Florida-based biotech company developing therapies to repair and reverse progressive damage to mitochondria and lysosomes. Prominent scientists in the field of aging biology were on its advisory board, including J. Campisi, A. Cuervo and A. de Grey.

GERO

Area : identification and detection of blood biomarkers as signatures of age, definition of a rate of aging, as well as a lifestyle and health/disease status. They are also interested in the signatures of different activity types in pedometer track records from smartphones and wearable devices of elderly people.

GERO aims to work on stability of gene networks and offer behavioral optimization programmes.

Retrotope

Area : development of ways of controlling metabolic processes associated with oxidative stress and pre-serving mitochondrial health, in particular in neurodegenerative diseases. The company assesses various target products, such as pharmaceutical candidates, functional foods, cosmetics and skin care additives, dietary supplements, pet product functional foods, and other antioxidative applications. Retrotope is conducting a clinical trial to assess RT001 in patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (phase 1b/2a).

Chronos therapeutics

Area : screening novel and repositioned drugs/compounds for the treatment of age-related conditions, particularly neurodegenerative diseases and osteoporosis; repositioning FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EMA (European Medicines Agency) approved drugs. The company offers RDC5, which is developed for neurodegenerative and obesity diseases.

Chronos therapeutics also offers screening services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies : Chronoscreen is a proprietary screening platform used to assess repositioned and novel drug leads based on their activity and regulation of cellular lifespan. This activity-based approach to drug screening reduces the risk of later stage drug failure due to lack of biological activity. The Chronoscreen identifies drug candidates that modulate biological mechanisms of chronological lifespan and offer therapeutic treatment for age-related pathologies.

Sibelius Natural Products

Area : screening natural compounds and nutraceuticals for their therapeutic benefits in treating age-related conditions. Sibelius is a natural products company specialising in developing and testing proprietary nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients. The company develops products aimed at targeting age-related diseases, using evidence-based biological anti-ageing properties of nutraceuticals. This is the sister company of Chronos Therapeutics. MIT Professor L. Guarente, also a Novartis Professor of aging, joined the Sibelius advisory board in June 2016.

Biotie Therapies

Area : developing drugs for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Products : Biotie’s lead market product is therapeutic for alcohol dependence called Selincro. The current development products include tozadenant for Parkinson’s disease, which is in Phase 3 development, and two additional compounds which are in Phase 2 development for cognitive disorders including Parkinson’s disease dementia, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare fibrotic disease of the liver.

Signum Biosciences

Area : developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease through study of protein networks. They develop small-molecule therapeutics derived from a phosphatase platform to modulate signal transduction imbalances.

Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span

Companies and start-ups working on extending human longevity and life-span

Proteostasis Therapeutics

Area : Proteostasis Therapeutics focuses on research on drugs that control the body’s protein homeostasis. This could lead to therapies against genetic and degenerative disorders. Its lead product candidate is PTI-428 for patients with cystic fibrosis. The company is also developing PTI-NC-733, a novel combination therapy; and PTI-130 for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It has a strategic alliance with Biogen New Ventures Inc. to enhance the clearance of misfolded aggregation-prone proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, such as in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; and Astellas Pharma Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize therapies targeting the Unfolded Protein Response.

Genescient

CEO : Carlos Balarezo
Website : http://www.genescient.com/

Area : Genescient is developing a new methodology for drug discovery and development, by combinating genomics and genetics, experimental evolution, massive screening technology and artificial intelligence-based data analysis. Genescient offers fail-early drug screens services to accelerate and reduce the costs of drug discovery and drug testing.

Longevity Biotech, Inc.

Area : Longevity Biotech, Inc. engages in pharmaceutical preparation. It aims to find modulators of natural defense mechanisms in order to develop new therapeutic compounds. Longevity Biotech is currently developing LBT-3627 as a novel neuroprotective agent as a possible treatment for disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. Also investigated at LBI, LBT-6030 is a drug candidate capable of activating signals directly involved in the treatment of diabetes.

LongLongLife community?

This is the story of 4 scientists but especially 4 friends who find that life is beautiful and short at the same time. They are strongly convinced that aging is not a fatality and they are determined to be a part of this revolution. In order to change the world they have a team, and they will share reliable and accessible scientific information with everyone.